Manual Related Posts Plugin

A simple ‘related posts’ plugin that lets you select related posts manually. Supports any post types in WordPress, including custom ones.

Features:

• Add related posts to your blog posts, pages etc.
• Choose from posts, pages or custom post types.
• Re-order related posts via drag and drop.
• Lightweight in code and database-requests.
• Includes Widget that shows the related posts.
• List of posts can also be added to the content of your post.
• Custom markup possible, build your own caroussel or anything you fancy.
• Support for multilanguage plugins, like WPML and Qtranslate-X.
• Duplicate plugin Related (Doubled Up) is included to build a second list.

The plugin was written to have the option to add related posts to each blog post using a simple but functional plugin. You can select the related posts yourself manually.

To display the related posts, there are three options:

• You can use the widget that is included.
• Use the content filter inside the settings.
• Add PHP code to your template, see the installation docs.

For advanced options, see the installation docs.

Compatibility

This plugin is compatible with ClassicPress.

Contributions

This plugin is also available in Codeberg.

Option 1 – Automatic install

Use the plugin installer built into WordPress to search for the plugin. WordPress will then download and install it for you.

Option 2 – Manual install

1. Make sure the files are within a folder.
2. Copy the whole folder inside the wp-content/plugins/ folder.
3. In the backend, activate the plugin. You can now select related posts when you create or edit blog posts, pages etc.

How to display the related posts on your website

The related posts are displayed by adding

<?php global $related; echo $related->show( $post_id ); ?> 

to your template. Replace $post_id with a post ID. If you call it within the WordPress loop, you can use

<?php global $related; echo $related->show( get_the_ID() ); ?> 

You have the option of either outputting a pre-formatted list or returning a PHP array of related posts to customise the
markup yourself.

Examples

Example 1: Using the default output

<?php global $related; echo $related->show( get_the_ID() ); ?> 

This can be called within the WordPress loop. It will output a <ul> list with links.

Example 2: Returning an array

<?php global $related; $rel = $related->show( get_the_ID(), true ); ?> 

Example 3: Using a simple foreach loop

With the second argument set to true, it will return an array of post objects. Use it to generate your own custom markup.
Here is an example:

<?php global $related; $rel = $related->show( get_the_ID(), true ); // Display the title of each related post if( is_array( $rel ) && count( $rel ) > 0 ) { foreach ( $rel as $r ) { if ( is_object( $r ) ) { if ($r->post_status != 'trash') { echo get_the_title( $r->ID ) . '<br />'; } } } } ?> 

Example 4: Using a WordPress loop

If you want to run it with a real WordPress loop, then use it as follows. You can then use functions like the_content or the_excerpt.
But make sure you don’t use the content filter for related posts, because you might get an endless stream of related posts that are related to each other :).

<?php global $related; $rel = $related->show( get_the_ID(), true ); // Display the title and excerpt of each related post if( is_array( $rel ) && count( $rel ) > 0 ) { foreach ( $rel as $r ) { if ( is_object( $r ) ) { if ($r->post_status != 'trash') { setup_postdata( $r ); echo get_the_title( $r->ID ) . '<br />'; the_excerpt(); } } } wp_reset_postdata(); } ?> 

Example 5: Using Related_du plugin

Using the default output from the Related (Doubled Up) plugin:

<?php global $related_du; echo $related_du->show( get_the_ID() ); ?> 

This can be called within the WordPress loop. It will output a <ul> list with links.

1. 

   Choosing related posts in the edit post screen.

2. 

   Widget with Related Posts in the frontend, together with Related Posts in a content filter.

3.4.0

• 2023-03-24
• Set defaults to only show posts on posts by default in metabox.
• Take some hints from phpcs and wpcs.

3.3.0

• 2023-01-10
• Add filter ‘related_show_post_tn_size’ for thumbnail size.
• Small improvement for CSS.

3.2.0

• 2021-12-07
• Add “clear:both” CSS to lists.
• Take some hints from phpcs and wpcs.
• Use more ‘esc_attr’ functions when appropriate.
• Do not use ‘wp_reset_query’.
• Remove old translation files from plugin, GlotPress should be used.

3.1.5

• 2021-02-21
• Fix deprecated jQuery calls with WP 5.6 and jQuery 3.5.
• Set correct order of metaboxes.

3.1.4

• 2020-04-13
• Add uninstall tab on settings page.
• Update About text on settings page.

3.1.3

• 2020-03-10
• Add parameter $post to these 2 filters.

3.1.2

• 2020-03-10
• Add filter ‘related_show_post’.
• Add filter ‘related_show_post_list’.

3.1.1

• 2019-04-16
• Small fix for silly mistake.

3.1.0

• 2019-01-28
• Filter heading too in content filters.
• Set order for content filters.
• Remove a lot of caching code that should be done by WP Core.
• No need for cache flush on switch_theme action.
• Better use of esc_html functions.
• Add some accessibility fixes.

3.0.2

• 2018-11-27
• Add CSS for Gutenberg Editor.
• Update chosen.js to 1.8.7.

3.0.1

• 2018-08-31
• Add compatibility for Dark Mode beta plugin.

3.0.0

• 2017-09-01
• Refactor Double Up plugin as just an option.
• Don’t use current post as related post.

2.3.2

• 2017-08-31
• Use Nonce for metaboxes too (thanks benoitchantre).

2.3.1

• 2017-07-31
• Translate ‘any’ label as well.

2.3.0

• 2017-05-08
• Add option for extended view.
• Update chosen from 1.4.2 to 1.7.0.
• Rename styles.css to admin-style.css
• Add frontend-style.css for extended view.
• Add actions in construct, not in another action.
• Limit queries in metabox to 500 posts per posttype.

2.2.3

• 2017-03-30
• Use Nonce on admin pages.
• Show message when options are successfully saved.
• Always cast related post_ids to an int.
• Only save custom fields on page edit.
• Do not concatenate strings, but use sprintf on about page.

2.2.2

• 2016-11-23
• Fix compatibility for Qtranslate and Qtranslate-X.

2.2.1

• 2016-05-23
• Don’t add it to the content twice in the RSS Feed.

2.2.0

• 2016-05-22
• Add option for adding related posts to RSS Feed.

2.1.3

• 2016-04-13
• Improve styling of headings on admin pages.
• Update Donate text.

2.1.2

• 2016-04-05
• Make it possible to leave title for content filter empty.
• Add filter for that content title.
• Move many files into subdirs.
• Also test if post exists on admin side.

2.1.1

• 2016-03-20
• Add option to chosen for better search: search_contains:true.

2.1.0

• 2015-12-11
• Make optgroup label more informative.
• Fix some translations.
• Drop pot and nl_NL, they are maintained at GlotPress.

2.0.9

• 2015-10-04
• Sort only hierarchical post_types on title (ASC), the rest on date (DESC).

2.0.8

• 2015-10-04
• Only support WordPress 3.7+, since they really are supported.
• Use plugins_url() for enqueue.
• Change title of Widget.
• Update pot, nl_NL.

2.0.7

• 2015-09-02
• Use h1 headings properly, including closing tag.
• Add fr_FR (thanks Vincent Clarisse).

2.0.6

• 2015-08-05
• Use h1 header on admin page.
• Add option for content filter to show on all views.
• Update pot, nl_NL.

2.0.5

• 2015-07-17
• Much simpler solution for WPML.

2.0.4

• 2015-07-17
• Support WPML, only list the right posts in the metabox.
• Upgrade Chosen.js from 1.2.0 to 1.4.2.

2.0.3

• 2015-05-31
• Add about tab on settingspage.
• Update pot and nl_NL.

2.0.2

• 2015-05-06
• Use is_singular, and show the list on pages as well.

2.0.1

• 2015-04-25
• Properly escape the title of the content filter.

2.0.0

• 2015-04-08
• Add duplicate plugin Related (Doubled Up).
• Small cleanups in get_posts args.
• Update pot, nl_NL.

1.7.0

• 2015-04-05
• Add indentation for hierarchical posts in dropdown.
• Add walker for that dropdown.
• Use get_posts instead of WP_Query.

1.6.4

• 2015-03-26
• Use admin_enqueue_scripts function.
• Load admin scripts in footer.

1.6.3

• 2015-03-21
• Add de_DE (Thanks Eckart Schmidt).

1.6.2

• 2015-03-16
• Add fa_IR (Thanks Mohsen Pahlevanzadeh).

1.6.1

• 2015-03-16
• Use our text-domain everywhere.
• Update pot and nl_NL

1.6.0

• 2015-03-01
• Support Qtranslate-X plugin.
• Place settingspage in own php-file.

1.5.9

• 2015-02-28
• Support attachments by showing posts with post_status ‘inherit’ as well.

1.5.8

• 2015-01-07
• Only show the content filter on single posts, not on blog.

1.5.7

• 2014-12-05
• Use chosen.js for easy select-boxes (thanks rembem).
• Use in_array instead of looping with foreach.
• Update nl_NL.

1.5.6

• 2014-10-22
• Test if the metakey really holds values and avoid PHP Warnings
• Improved examples in Readme

1.5.5

• 2014-10-21
• Add sr_RS Serbian Language (Borisa Djuraskovic)

1.5.4

• 2014-08-22
• Compatibility with Qtranslate and MQtranslate
• Don’t show posts with status ‘trash’.

1.5.3

• 2014-08-13
• Add option for content filter title
• sanitize values in update_option()

1.5.2

• 2014-08-08
• Only show header if there are related posts (content filter)

1.5.1

• 2014-05-10
• Show header above the related posts in content filter

1.5.0

• 2014-05-07
• Remember tab after submit

1.4.9

• 2014-05-05
• Better naming of variables

1.4.8

• 2014-05-02
• Add a filter for the content, with an option to use it
• Option page now uses tabs
• Update nl_NL

1.4.7

• 2014-04-18
• No need to add explicit support
• Rewrite save function, meta_key gets deleted correctly now

1.4.6

• 2014-04-15
• Support Widget Customizer in 3.9

1.4.5

• 2014-03-23
• Cleanup duplicate code

1.4.4

• 2014-03-22
• Add settings link to main plugin page

1.4.3

• 2014-03-18
• Also delete just added post

1.4.2

• 2014-02-14
• Fix post update on wp_update_post()

1.4.1

• 2013-12-17
• Update nl_NL

1.4

• 2013-12-13
• Now includes a widget

1.3.2

• 2013-12-07
• Move styling to stylesheet

1.3.1

• 2013-12-07
• On blogs with many posts, split the select box in multiple select boxes

1.3

• 2013-12-07
• Add options page:
• Only get shown on selected post types
• Only list selected post types to select as related post

1.2.1

• 2013-11-09
• Add localisation
• Add nl_NL
• Only make an instance in the init function

1.2

• 2013-11-09
• Don’t overwrite default post
• Switch from jquery.live to jquery.on, requires WP 3.3 at least

1.1.1

• 2011-09-21
• Minor rewrites that may prevent interference with other plugins

1.1

• 2011-09-21
• Bugfix: related posts are now correctly saved (deleted) when all related posts are removed from the current post
• Feature: all post types in WordPress are now supported (including custom ones)
• Improvement: select box now sorts posts by title and displays post type
• Improvement: current post is now excluded from the list of posts
• Improvement: data now remains stored in database when plugin is deleted, to avoid accidental loss of data
• Improvement: general code quality improvements

1.0

• 2010-04-12
• Initial release. No known issues.